Furnace.



Patented July 2, |90I.

No. 677,8l2.

T. SMITH.

FU BNACE. (Appumvion fuga gez. u, 1899.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

THOMAS SMITH, OF HOPEWELL, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EUGENE G. E. JACOARD AND ARTHUR O. SWEET, OF

KANSAS CITY', MISSOURI.

FU RNACEt srEcrErcnTIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,812, dated Jury a, 1901.

Application filed October 5, 1899. Serial No; 732,671. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SMITH, a citi-v zen of the United States, residing at Hopewell, in the county of Rio vArriba and Territory of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnaces;-

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others'skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of furnaces designed to reduce to the metallic state the metals contained in the ore fed thereto.

Heretofore the processes of desulfurization, oxidation, and iinal reduction ofthe metal have been conducted separately, sometimes in detached furnaces, the longintervals between the stages of the different processes and the necessary hauling, resulting in the cooling, consequent Waste of the material,unnecessary labor, and lack of economy. The separate processes of desulfurization or matting (partial desulfurization) when performed in a blast-furnace require subsequent treatment to produce the commercial metallic products, while in reverberatory furnaces the expenditure of time and power necessary in rabblin g or turning, so as to expose all portions of the charge to the alternate action of the fire and air, make the process of desulfurization or oxidation extremely costly, while the Subscquent processes of reduction are wasteful of both fuel and metal. In the blast-furnace the ore is placed in the stack in alternate layers, with the fuel and air forced in through the layers a little above the crucible. The heat generated by the combustion of the fuel between the layers forms a fusion zone at that pointthe melted portions of the ore passing down into the crucible, While the volatile products of combustion pass upward through the interstices of the charge. This makes it necessary to first eliminate the hydrocarbons of the fuel, converting it into coke or charcoal', also reducingthe use of finely-crushed ore in the charge, which is undesirable on account of its closing the interstices. Another ill effect is that the volatile metals and sulfurous gases after being separated in the fusion-zone fand freeze the furnace.

. pass upward through` the interstices and r'ecombine at the cooler zone above, zinc-suliid thus re-formin g from blend with such persistence that it is necessary to yremove it from the top surface. Otherwise it would obstruct the passage of the gaseous product ofcombustion l Another source of vwaste in the blast-furnace in all copper-smelting is the utilization of the fact of the greater affinity of iron for sulfur than for copper, freeing the copper from sulfur, iron being introduced into the charge to combine with the sulfur and precipitated into slag in matte form.

' The objects of my invention are, among other things, to provide for the elimination of all deleterious gases of the reverberatory furnace and the utilization thereof for generating a hot blast and for precipitating and utilizing the gaseous products; to provide for carrying on desulfurization, oxidation, and reduction to metallic form as a continuous operation; to so construct the furnace as to permit the use of finely-crushed ore without endangering the blowing over or choking resulting from the intense heat of the blast, and to provide means whereby the volatile metal may be desulfurized, the sulfurous gases utilized as fuel for the continuation of the process, and the resultant oxids reduced to the metallic form by the retorting process, while the other metallic oXids contained in the ore are subjected to a subsequent treatment and recovered in the metallic form.'

To these ends the invention consists in the novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the furnace. Fig. 2 is a section on line Y Y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section online Z Z, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a fan.

Referring to said figures by letters of ref erence, A is the roasting-chamber, having the inclined preferably double-tiled hearth A', having a chamber B communicating with said roasting-chamber through passages B', which also communicate at the point of outlet of loc said chamber B, near the lower end thereof, with air-supply ports B2, as shown in Fig. 3. Above the chamber A is a dust-chamber C, likewise provided, preferably, with an inclined bottom C', with its Hue C2 communieatin g with a fan D, said chamber having a gas-outlet C3. This outlet comprisesa pipe cX, suitably supported within and extending continuously to the bottom of the chamber, and a second short pipe cXX. The upper end of the pipe cX, which has an inverted conical portion c', extends up into a dome c2 on the casing of the chamber C, and the pipe cXX projects through the top of the dome c2 and has its lower or inner end dipping into the conical portion c', with a surrounding space This arbetween it and said latter portion. rangement provides for passing the dust, dac., into the conical portion c through the surrounding space between said pipe and the latter, it then-being returned through the pipe cX to the bottom or the lowest portion of ing preferably inclinedupwardly from the l passage on the side farthest from the fan D. Below the chamber A is a reduction-chamber F, connected thereto at one side by a passage V,therefrom by the fan D through the Hue G2 andare burned in chamber J. These two v chambers F and G are connected by a passage G at their bottoms. H is a flue extending from said reduction-chamber, near its top, to a point above a crucible H', mounted upon wheels h, traveling upon a track I, which is pivotally held in place and may be tilted by means of a lever, as I. A flue G2 effects connection between the chamber G and the combustion-chamber J thereunder, interstices g also being provided in the continuous bottoms of chambers F and G, while said combustion-chamber J is provided with an-air-inletj. Vit-hin thecombustion-chamber J is placed a crucible K, preferably of the form shown in Fig. l and provided with Wheels mounted upon a tilting track L, operatedby means of a lever L.

Extending upward from chamber J and opening into a large oxid-chamber M is a flue J', said oxid-chamber communicating by means of a flue M with a fan D, in turn communicating with the dust-flue C, above described. Said fan has pipe or Hue connection N with chamber B, said pipe or flue also connecting with a line N', exhausting into a precipitation.

lby a common shaft suitably belted to a motor and inclosed within a common casing or housing D2, having an inlet D3 and an outlet D4, connecting with parts N and O, respectively, and arranged in connection with one fan. The other fan has a similar arrangement of an inlet and outletDG, connecting with the parts M and C2, respectively, hereinbefore referred to. The course of the gas after passing into the chambers C and O it is not thought necessary to be stated herein, as a difference in the treatment of the average ores would require modifications thereof, the general design being by condensation and absorption or chemical neutralization of deleterious gases before exit into the atmosphere. By passing the gasesL through suitable outlets whereink lime hydrate is exposed tothe action of the gases the carbonio acid and `sulfnrous acid can be eliminated or converted into lime carbonate or sulfate Without appreciable vitiation of the surrounding atmosphere.

In operation fuel-is placed in the fire-box G and a light re started in Crucible K. The

tbottom or hearth G is thereby heated and the gaseous hydrocarbons of the fuel liberated. These gases pass down through the line G2 into the combustion-chamber J, where `they mix with the air admitted through ports j and areconsumed. The products of com- ;bustion aredrawn o through flue J and chamber M into Hue 1N by the fan D and are forced through flue C2 into chamber C, forminga. hot blast, whereby the silica is separated from the metallic particles of the crushed or pulver-ized ore falling from the crusher or pulverizer E, the heavier particles passing vinto the roasting-chamber A through passage c, while the lighter silicious portions are blown over into the dust-chamber as tailings.

Any metallic particles thus blown into the latter chamber can be subsequently treated,

according to the amount of metal the ore may contain, by the conversionv thereof into soluble sulfates4 or chloride, leaching, and

The heated pulverized metallic concentrates'falling into the roastingchamber A are still further heated upon the Yhearth thereof, giving up their sulfur. Water is then sprayed into the roasting-chamber through a nozzle P, which being converted iare conducted through fines B into chamber B, where they are mixed with air admitted through air-inlet ports B2. This mixture is heated to incandescence by the tiling of ICO IIC

'prevent the recombination of the sulfurous gases with the metallic products in the furnace. The sulfurous gas formed in the cham- B is drawn oif through flueN and expelled into chamber O. After the extraction of the sulfur from the material within the roastingchamber the oxidized metal passes downward into the reduction-chamber F, where it is dropped into the incandescent carbon of the fuel,which not havingaccesstothe freeoxygen combines with the oxygen in the oxids, leaving the metal free. If zinc or other volatile metal be combined in the ore with-the heavier metals, itis drawn offl through the flue H, the temperature thereof being maintained at a lower point than the heat of volatilization, the metals, therefore, passing therethrough being allowed to condense and form a partial vacuum, inducing a current through said flue and causing the depositing of the metal lic constituents in molten form in the crucible H'. The heavier metals in chambers F and G pasas downward through interstices g of the hearth g into crucible K. The clinker of the coal, with the ash, are combined with the slag formed by the slight percentage of silica left after concentration and also pass through the interstices g into the crucible, preventing the complete oxidation which would take place if the metal were exposed to the heat of the combustion-chamber Without such protection. The oxids formed in the combustion-chamber are carried over by the products of combustion into oxid-chamber M, where they are precipitated and from whence they may be taken and reduced in the red notion-chamber F whenever requisite.

It will be obvious that the carbon of the fuel is gradually changed by the reduction of the metallic oxids to carbon monoxid, which in the gaseous state isburned in combustionchamber F.

I-Ieretofore crucibles have been made by tamping them in solid and cutting a tap-hole therethrough, which is stopped up with fireclay and opened subsequently. In making repairs the lires must be abated and a new crucible be tamped by workmen getting within the furnace. By employing a crucible of my construction, being portable, as above intimated, it may be readily withdrawn when repairs are necessary and replaced by another one. Also by employing a tilting track the metal may be readily poured from the crucible without in any manner straining the same or cracking the bottom thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a furnace of the character described, the combination with a reduction-chamber and fire-box, a combustion-chamber, and a grate between the combustion-chamber and the reduction-chamber and fire-box, of a port'- able crucible within the'combustion-chamber, and a base therefor.

2. A furnace of the character described, having a roasting-chamber provided with an inclined hearth, means for discharging the gases from said chamber, a reduction-cham- 'ber communicating with the roasting-chamber, a fire-box adjacent to, and communicating with, the reduction-chamber, a combustion-chamber beneath the fire-box and reduction-chamber and communicating with said fire-box th rough a flue, the bottom of the lire#` boX provided with intersti'ces, and a crucible within the combustion-chamber.

3. In a furnace of the character described, the combination of a roasting-chamber, a reduction-chamber communicating therewith, a fire-box communicating with,- and adjacent to, the reduction chamber, a combustionchamber beneath the fire-box `and 'reducingchamber' and having 'a flue between the combustion-chamber and the fire-box, and means for utilizing the products of combustion from the combustion chamber for heating the hearth of the roasting-chamber.

' 4. In a furnace of the character described, the combinationof a dust-chamber, aA flue passing thereto, an ore-supply and a roasting-chamber both communicating with said flue, a reduction-chamber, a fire-box adjacent thereto and communicating therewith, a combustion-chamber connected to the nre-box by a flue, a grate above the combustionfchamber, and means for utilizing the products of combustion from the combustion-chamber for heating the hearth of the roasting-chamber and as a hot blastinto the ue of the dustA chamber.

IOO

5. In a furnace of the character described, i

IIO

6. A furnace having aroasting-chamber, a

hearth therefor provided with a chamber having an exit, and an oXid-chamber, said roasting and hearth chambers connected by a passage, whereby gases are conducted from the roasting-chamber to the hearth-chamber,

lateral air-inlet ports for the hearthchamber,and an air-blast generator communicating` with said oXid-chamber, substantially as set y forth.

7. Ina furnace of the character described, the combination with the roasting-chamber, of a reduction-chamber communicating there-Y with, a fire-box adjacent to and communicating with the reduction chamber, a combus-- tion-chamber, a flue connecting the nre-box 'and combustion-chamber, a flue extending from the upper portion of the reductionchamber, and a crucible beneath the outlet of said fine, adapted to receive volatilized metals. from the ue.

S. In a furnace of the character. described, the combination of a dust-chamber, a line passing thereto, an ore-feed above the flue, a roasting-chamber communicating with the flue, inlets for admitting air and water to the roasting-chamber,Whereby desulfurization of ore is accomplished, a hearth to the roastingchamber having a chamber therein, a passage connecting the roasting and hearth chambers adapted to conduct lthe sulfureus gases to the hearth-chamber to be utilized for heating the hearth, and a fan at one end of `E said flue, and cominunicatingvvith the hearthchamber, adaptedto force pure air u-ponvthe ore asfed to the furnace and to discharge the burned gases frornthe hearth-chamber. 9. In a furnace, the combination of an Orecrusher, arranged above the furnace, a dustchamber having a flue just below said orecrusher, a redncingchamber, a roasting' chamber `communicating with said dustgchamber, said reducing-chamber arranged in 'communication with said roasting-chamber, `.a fine between said roasting-chamber and dust-chamber an air-blast generator or fan =arranged to pass an air -blast through said last-referred-to line and the furnace, and ;means for heating said air-blast, substan- 'tially as set forth.

i 10. In a furnace, the combination of ancrecrusher, a dust-chamber, having a flue just below said ore-crusher, a reducingchamber,

y i a roasting-chamber,cornmunicating with said reducing-chamber, a ue between said roastling-chamber, and dust-chamber, an air-blast generator or fan arrangedv to pass an airblast through said referred-t0 flue to and through the ore,'and means for heatingsaid 'air-blast, substantially as set forth.

'In testimony`7 whereof I affix my signature in presenceof two Witnesses.

THOMAS SMITH.

Witnesses:

EUGENE G. E. J AccARD,

ARTHUR C. SWEET. 

